Frequently Asked Questions

What is the deadline for applications?

We have a rolling admission process so we review applications as they are received.
We strongly encourage applicants to apply early.

Your admission requirements include “relevant work experience.” What qualifies as
relevant work experience?

Relevant work experience is an important admission requirement because our MBA students
will contribute to one another’s learning as well as learn from each other. Relevant
work experience includes:

Increasing levels of responsibility

Responsible line, staff, or project responsibility

Planning, organizing, leading, controlling, evaluating functions

Functional/business knowledge as part of the job description

Interaction with management departments/functions, or external audiences outside own
area of responsibility

This doesn't look like other MBA programs I'm considering. What makes an MBA an MBA?

No two MBA's are alike. Business schools design their programs to meet the needs of
their stakeholders – employers, students, the community – based on their vision of
graduate business education. In designing this program, Alverno business faculty studied
the literature on graduate business education, reviewed other MBA programs, met with
community business professionals, and drew upon their own extensive experience as
business educators.

The Alverno MBA builds the foundation and provides for the immediate practice of knowledge
and abilities needed to lead, manage, create, and compete in the global marketplace.
Learning is based on Alverno’s internationally acclaimed teaching, ability-based curriculum,
and assessment methods for adult students to achieve their personal and professional
goals.

You say this program is for “growth-oriented, high potential individuals…who aspire
to greater influence and impact.” How do I know if this is right for me?

Here are some questions you can ask yourself to help you determine whether this MBA
program is the right one for you. Do you want to…

Learn to ask the right questions?

Engage in a transformative experience?

Continually learn from faculty, colleagues, and personal feedback?

Develop your business acumen?

Develop personal leadership?

Execute with excellence?

If your answer to these questions is a resounding “yes,” then there is a good fit
between your goals and the design of this MBA program.

Do I need an undergraduate business degree to be admitted to the program?

No. All applicants accepted into the program bring with them relevant business or
organizational experience that creates a rich learning environment for everyone. From
the very beginning with the Integrated Management course, students work in teams and
benefit from one another’s diverse experiences and expertise. This course introduces
non-business undergraduates to the critical concepts, principles, and skills needed
as a foundation for subsequent coursework. For participants with an undergraduate
business major, the course provides an opportunity to review, integrate, and share
their prior learning in new ways.

Why don’t you require the GMAT? How do you know whether applicants are qualified to
take on the challenges of a graduate program?

Alverno faculty believe the GMAT creates a barrier for busy professionals interested
in advancing their careers through graduate business education. After a careful review
of the literature, faculty followed the example of some of the best business schools
in the country, and decided not to require the GMAT as an admissions requirement.
Instead, faculty drew upon their extensive experience with assessment methods to create
a carefully designed portfolio assessment that is used along with other evidence to
evaluate applicants.

Who is in the program?

The Alverno MBA targets a mix of students with relevant business experience who can
share their work experiences with faculty and students and apply their learning immediately
in the workplace. This is the foundation for our student-faculty learning community
and provides the opportunity to develop lasting personal and professional networks.
Students represent a cross-section of business functions and industries and have varied
academic and business backgrounds. Our goal is to reflect the Milwaukee area social
and business demographics in each class.

I have an undergraduate business degree and lots of business experience. Why do I
have to take the Integrated Management course?

Integrated Management is the foundation course for all MBA students. It is unique
in its interdisciplinary focus and approach to business problem solving. For participants
with an undergraduate business major, the course provides an opportunity to review,
integrate, and share their prior learning in new ways.

Through case studies, simulations, and integrating assessments students link knowing
and doing. Since students work in teams, the course is also an important element in
building professional networks that will grow and develop throughout the program.

Since your MBA doesn’t have the traditional accounting, finance, and other business
courses I see offered by other MBA programs, how do I learn these subjects in the
Alverno MBA?

The simple answer to your question is that Alverno business faculty, in designing
the Alverno MBA, has distributed the content you would find in these traditional courses
across our five six-semester hour required MBA courses. You develop your understanding
and ability to apply this knowledge in a developmental way as it is needed. Imagine
the textbooks from traditional MBA courses set out before you on a table. By the time
you complete the Alverno MBA, you will have studied the material covered in these
texts and mastered the same body of knowledge as other MBA graduates.

What do you mean when you say “the Alverno MBA is REAL”?

REAL - Relevant Experiential Active Learning - represents carefully designed on and
off campus experiences that are integrated into the MBA program. They focus and extend
other classroom experiences and engage students from across the MBA program in the
issues and complex problems encountered in today’s business environment. For example,
students may explore attracting and developing the most talented people in a changing
labor market or evaluate strategies to implement the most effective performance measurement
models in their own organizations. They may visit a local business to see a benchmark
process or system in action. Or, they may role play to negotiate difficult compensation
or contractual situations in domestic and global contexts. The Alverno MBA provides
a unique experience bringing together students, faculty, and others as a learning
community.

Why are required courses 6 credits each and when do they meet?

The MBA required courses (MGT 600, 610, 620, 630, and 640) meet all day Saturday on
every-other-weekend. They are designed as 6 credit courses to provide large blocks
of time for learning activities such as site visits, simulations, integrating assessments,
panel presentations, and guest speakers.

What days do classes meet?

Full-time graduate students take 6 or more semester hours of course work each semester.
We expect most students will take a required course each semester.

The required courses meet every other Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the fall
and spring semesters. The electives are offered during the first summer in a hybrid
of classroom and online instruction. The final core course is offered the second summer
- also in a hybrid format.

What time commitment is required in your MBA program?

The time commitment can vary greatly depending on the individual student. Each required
course meets for 8 hours on Saturday every other weekend during the semester (8 sessions
in total) and all students come together for a one-half day final assessment session
on the Saturday following the last class (this is referred to as “external assessment”
on the Academic Calendar).

MBA programs require a significant commitment of time outside of class and the Alverno
MBA is no different in this regard. This time will vary depending on the course, your
academic and professional background, and the specific assignments. It is safe to
assume you should allow at least 12-20 hours per week for reading, reflection, and
preparation of assignments.

How do MBA students manage their time to meet the time commitment expected by the
program?

Our MBA students generally have demanding fulltime jobs and many also have other professional,
family, and social obligations that place demands on their time. Here are some of
the strategies students use to ensure they devote quality time to their studies:

Set aside a period, say 2 hours, each day to read, reflect, and work on assignments.
This might be “quiet” early morning time for early risers or late evening time for
“night owls.”

Allocate large blocks of weekend time to study. For students in class all day Saturday,
this may mean spending Friday evening and a portion of Sunday reading, reflecting,
and working on assignments. On non-class weekends, set aside Saturday and a portion
of Sunday for studying.

Develop a hybrid approach (some evening and some weekend time) that adjusts to work
and family schedules. The important point is to systematically plan for the time and calendar it.

How can I finance my MBA education?

The Alverno College Financial Aid office can assist you in exploring these and other
strategies for financing your professional education:

Employer tuition reimbursement. Check with the appropriate personnel in your organization to see if this option
is available to you. If needed, we can contact your employer to explain our program
in relationship to other area programs.

Scholarships and grants. Conduct an internet search to identify scholarship and grant opportunities. Include
“MBA” as one of your search criteria.

Federal loans. All students are eligible for federal Stafford loans through the Federal Family
Educational Loan Program.

Private loans. Contact local banks for further information about financing your graduate education.

Veterans benefits. Visit www.va.gov for further information. Contact the Alverno College Financial Aid office by telephone
at 414-382-6046 or 800-938-3401, by e-mail at financial.aid@alverno.edu, and visit their web page for further information and links to financial aid web sites.

My question is…

If you have a question not addressed here, please contact us and we will reply as
quickly as possible: 414-382-6100 or admissions@alverno.edu